fairviewroad

New service from RFD-??? on Frontier:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/front...-rockford.html

or

http://www.rrstar.com/carousel/x1355...ckford-airport

My guess is RFD-DEN since MKE is really too close to make sense and MCI doesn't provide many connecting options. OTOH, RFD-DEN is awfully similar to MSN-DEN which Frontier already offers...but I'd still say DEN is the safest bet.

fairviewroad

Well, I had consigned this one to the RFD rumor bin but it looks like transatlantic service from RFD is going to be a reality. "Flyairplus" has scheduled 13 public charters from RFD-ZAG with continuing service to BEG, starting this Friday. Some news outlets report that 2/3rds of the 3000 available seats have already been sold. Target market is the multitude of ethnic Balkans in the Chicago/Milwaukee area. Currently there is no non-stop service to the Balkans from ORD, so RFD swooped in and made it happen. According to the flyairplus website, the flights will soon have a tag-on to Phoenix.

Edit:
Oops. Never mind. Looks like the airline didn't do its homework.
http://blogs.e-rockford.com/brianlea...fore-it-began/

fairviewroad

Guess what the RFD folks have cooked up this time: Non-stops flights to Honolulu and London!

http://blogs.e-rockford.com/brianlea...nolulu-london/

Put this in the "I'll believe it when I see it" file. But you have to admire the "dream big" mentality of the airport folks. That said, flights from RFD-DEN on Frontier start tomorrow. Despite the repeated failures of establishing service to DEN, I think this one just might have a chance.

Sweet Willie

agreed. I would have liked to have seen service to ZAG.

fairviewroad

RFD is growing so fast, one commissioner wonders if it can still be considered "hassle-free".

http://www.rrstar.com/news/x16442298...photo=1&zc_p=0

fairviewroad

Current GOP VP candidate Paul Ryan lives just up the road from Rockford, and for some unknown reason, his usual airport of choice--Janesville, WI--was not available. RFD to the rescue:

http://www.wrex.com/story/19979339/v...ies-out-of-rfd

Sweet Willie

spoke w/someone from MKE airport, they mentioned that MKE is "taking" pax from RFD (as well as surrounding area like north burbs of Chicago), MKE was something like 3rd fastest growing airport.

Sweet Willie

just got this news release email from Rockford Airport:

Aviation Week Lands in Rockford

Once-in-a-lifetime flight experiences offer unique glimpse into military history.

ROCKFORD, Ill. - Earn your wings at Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) as it showcases the most influential military aircraft of the last century during Aviation Week, July 19-27. Many offerings from EAA AirVenture, known as the world's greatest aviation celebration, will be celebrated here in our region. Come experience mission flights, ground and cockpit tours and viewing opportunities from various flying wonders from World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam.
•July 19-21: Take off in the beautifully restored B-17G Flying Fortress "Aluminum Overcast." One of only 13 Fortress's still flying, experience exceptional flight and ground tours aboard one of World War II's most vital and magnificent aircrafts. Mission flights run between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. with prices ranging from $449 to $475. Ground tours will be available from 2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. at a cost of $10 per adult and $20 per family. Active Military, Veterans and children under eight are free.

•July 22-24: Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber, FIFI, the last remaining flying example of the aircraft in the world, flies in on July 22. Accompanied by an equally rare B-24 Liberator, a P-51 Mustang and other historic World War II military airplanes, the aircraft will be on display for cockpit tours and rides. Gates are open from 2:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday and 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday. Admission cost for the event is $10 per person and $20 for families. Cockpit tours in the B-29 are included and will be available when the airplane is not in motion. Airplane rides range from $65 in the C-45 to $1995 in the P-51 Mustang.

•July 26-27: Aviation Week culminates with the largest gathering of Bonanza aircraft in the world. From one-on-one opportunities to speak with pilots and view their planes on Friday evening between 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to their awe-striking departure at noon on the 27th, this is an event you won't want to miss.

Sign up and attend any Aviation Week event and be eligible to win two round trip tickets departing from RFD to any Allegiant destination.

For specific event details, registration and pricing information, please visit RFD Aviation Week.
http://www.flyrfd.com/Landing.aspx?id=95

Sweet Willie

Plane Pull at RFD airport, your team of up to 20, details here: http://www.flyrfd.com/airfest.html
-

fairviewroad

Rockford airport officials approve $20 million terminal expansion due to increasing passenger loads:
http://www.wifr.com/home/headlines/T...1.html?ref=941

(Includes file footage of a United 747, probably from a past ORD diversion. Anyone showing up at RFD hoping to board one of those will be sorely disappointed.)

fairviewroad

You just have to marvel at the ability of the Rockford airport to generate random route proposals. The latest: Non-stop service between Rockford and Loveland, CO on Elite Airways.

Think of this as the "almost Chicago to almost Denver" flight. Like anything associated with the Rockford airport, I'll file this in the "I'll believe it when I see it" category.